The Bird Book Part 71

Similar to the House Finch, but deeper red and slightly larger. Their nesting habits and eggs are precisely like those of the House Finch but the eggs average larger; size .85 .60.

520.1. MCGREGOR'S HOUSE FINCH. _Carpodacus mcgregori._

Range.--San Benito Island, Lower California.

A newly made species, hardly to be distinguished from the last. Eggs probably the same.

[Ill.u.s.tration 328: Greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish blue.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 518--519.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: deco.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]

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521. CROSSBILL. _Loxia curvirostra minor._

Range.--Northern North America, breeding in the Alleghanies and from northern New England northward; winters south to the middle portions of the United States and casually farther.

The birds are very curious both in appearance and actions, being very "flighty" and restless, and apt to remain to breed on any of the mountains. They build during March or April, making their nests of twigs, rootlets, moss, feathers, etc., and placing them in forks or on branches of trees (usually conifers) at any height from the ground. The eggs are greenish white, spotted with brown and with lavender sh.e.l.l markings; size .75 .55.

521a. MEXICAN CROSSBILL. _Loxia curvirostra stricklandi._

Range.--Mountain ranges from central Mexico north to Wyoming.

A larger variety of the preceding. The eggs will not differ except perhaps a trifle in size.

522. WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. _Loxia leucoptera._

Range.--Northern North America, breeding in the Alleghanies and from northern Maine northward; winters to middle portions of the United States.

This species is rosy red with two white wing bars. Like the last, they are of a roving disposition and are apt to be found in any unexpected locality. Their nesting habits are the same as those of the American Crossbill, but the eggs average larger and the markings are more blotchy; size .80 .55.

523. ALEUTIAN ROSY FINCH. _Leucosticte griseonucha._

Range.--Aleutian and Pribilof Islands; south to Kadiak.

This is the largest of the genus, and can be distinguished from the others by its very dark chestnut coloration and the gray hindneck and cheeks. Like the other Leucostictes, they are found in flocks and frequent rocky or mountainous country, where they are nearly always found on the ground. They build in crevices among the rocks or under ledges or embankments, making the nest of weeds and gra.s.ses. Their four or five pure white eggs are laid during June. Size .97 .67.

Data.--St. George Islands of the

[Ill.u.s.tration 329: Crossbill.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Greenish white.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White-winged Crossbill.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: right hand margin.]

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524. GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH. _Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis._

Range.--Rocky Mountain region from Saskatchewan south to northern United States and also breeding in the Sierra Nevadas; winters on the lowlands of northwestern United States and east to Manitoba.

The habits and breeding habits of this species are like those of the last. The bird is paler colored and the gray is restricted to the hind part of the head. They nest on the ground in June, laying four or five white eggs.

524a. HEPBURN ROSY FINCH. _Leucosticte tephrocotis littoralis._

Range.--Higher ranges from Washington and British Columbia to Alaska.

This variety is like the Aleutian Leucosticte but the brown is a great deal paler. The nesting habits and eggs are, in all probability, like those of the last.

525. BLACK ROSY FINCH. _Leucosticte atrata._

Range.--Rocky Mountain region of northern United States; known to breed in Idaho.

This species is black in place of the brown of the others; the gray is restricted to the hind part of the head and the rosy is rather more extensive on the wings. Their eggs probably cannot be distinguished from those of the Gray-crowned variety.

526. BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FINCH. _Leucosticte australis_.

Range.--Breeds at high alt.i.tudes in the Rockies in Colorado; south to New Mexico in winter.

A similar bird to the Gray-crowned Leucosticte but with no gray on the head. They nest on the ground above timber line on the higher ranges of the Rockies.

527. GREENLAND REDPOLL. _Acanthis hornemanni hornemanni._

Range.--Greenland and northern Europe; south in winter to Labrador.

This large Redpoll nests at low elevations in trees and bushes, its habits and eggs being similar to the more common American species.

527a. h.o.a.rY REDPOLL. _Acanthis hornemanni exilipes._

Range.--Breeds in the Arctic regions and winters south to the northern parts of the United States.

This variety is smaller than the last and is considerably darker but still retains the white rump of the Greenland Redpoll. Its nesting habits are the same as those of the next.

[Ill.u.s.tration 330: White.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 523--524--524a.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: 525--526.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: left hand margin.]